Birmingham City eye up £2.1m transfer | OneFootball

The Dutchman is said to be of interest to the Blues as the summer rebuild continues at St Andrew's

Birmingham City are rumoured to be interested in Sparta Rotterdam defender Mike Eerdhuijzen, according to a report from Dutch outlet De Telegraaf.

The Blues are said to be willing to fork out €2.5 million (£2.1m) to bring the 23-year-old to the club this summer, with a four-year contract said to be on the table for the centre back.

The former FC Volendam man has been for Sparta for the last two seasons, and has featured in 44 league games in that time, scoring once.

New Blues boss Chris Davies will be looking to add reinforcements to his defensive line this summer, with a lack of centre-back options at St Andrew’s making it a summer priority for the former Tottenham Hotspur coach.

Mike Eerdhuijzen could be the solution to Birmingham City’s lack of defensive depth

Davies has inherited a squad that comprises of just one recognised centre-back as it stands, with Dion Sanderson the only out-and-out defender at the club as it stands, following the departure of Marc Roberts.

The Midlands outfit also have Krystian Bielik on the books who can play in a defensive role when needed, with the Pole dropping further back than his regular defensive midfield role for spells in the previous campaign.

Eerdhuijzen’s ability to play out from the back on the left side of defence could benefit Davies in the season to come, as City continue to rebuild following their relegation from the Championship in the previous campaign.

Having made the step up to the Eredvisie two years ago, the young Dutchman has become something of a regular at his current side, with 25 appearances in his first season with the club followed up by 19 in the past 12 months.

The defender netted his first, and so far only, goal for the club earlier this year, as he rounded off the scoring in a 4-1 victory over Vitesse Arnhem in the Dutch top flight, en route to an eighth-placed finish for his side in the division.

Having signed an extension with the club last summer, Eerdhuijzen is said to have a contract with his current club until the summer of 2026, with the Blues said to be offering £2.1 million to make him theirs this summer.

Eerdhuijzen isn’t the only Sparta Rotterdam player to have taken the St Andrew’s side’s fancy over the past few weeks, with striker Tobias Lauritsen also said to be of interest as the summer transfer window continues.

Chris Davies continues Birmingham City summer transfer rebuild

Davies has wasted no time in addressing the issues that blighted the Blues last season and resulted in their relegation from the Championship, with backup at the back his priority so far.

The Midlands outfit conceded 65 league goals in the previous campaign, and their fragility at the back was too often exploited by sides in the second tier, and the former Spurs coach has looked to solved those issues at the earliest opportunity.

As well as the reported interest in Eerdhuijzen, City have also added two goalkeepers this summer, with Ryan Allsop [pictured] joining from Hull City, while Bailey Peacock-Farrell joins the club from Burnley.

With former shot-stoppers Neil Etheridge and John Ruddy both moving on this summer, the Blues have acted quickly to get their options sorted between the sticks for the future, while a potential move for Charlton Athletic hotshot Alfie May would also help their return in the final third.